Machine for treating adhesive-coated fabric.



1. MEADE. MACHINE FOR'TREATING ADHESIVE COATED FABRIC.

APPLICATION'FILED FEB. I9 |909.

Patented A111127, 1915;

M @H7/figa?.

JAMES MEADE, 0F STOUGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TG PLYMOUTH RUBBERCOMPANY, STOUGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPOMTON @E MASSACHUSETTS.

" MACHINE FOR TRETING ADHESIVE-@QATED FABRIC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr.. 2%', fttf.

l Application filed February 19, 1909. Serial No. 478,792.

T0 all whom it may concern i Be it known that l, JAMES Marion, a citizenof the United States, residing at Stoughton, in the county of Norfolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Machines forTreating AdhesiveCoated Fabric, of Which the following description, inconnection with Athe accompanying drawing, is a specification, likeletters on the drawing representing like parts.

rlhis invention relates to a machine for treating an adhesive coatedfabric and is particularly-designed for treating 'that class .ofadhesive 'coated fabrics in which the coating has its tacky or stickyqualities due to the presence of gutta perchel or other vegetable gumsor equivalent materials used 1n the rubber coating tradefor'producin-gan Tati adhesive coating. In this class of adhesive coatedfabrics the coating is normally dry and non-adhesiveor at leastsuliciently so that it may be 1rolled up Without sticking together. Thetacky or sticky condition of the coating is produced by heating the coating which causes it to develop the tackyl or sticky condition. K Thefoundation fabric upon which the coating is applied varies in weight andweave according to the purpose for which the coated fabric is to beused.

This adhesive coated fabric has found a large use, more particularly inrecent years, in `the manufacture of innersoles for shoes Where acomparatively thin and cheap leather base is reinforced by a vlayer offabric cemented thereto. Types of such innersoles are known as theSleeper, and one form of which is described in the patent to Sleeper,No.y 563,083, granted June 30, 1896, and the Gem described in patent toCole No. 575,460, granted January 19,

V1897. Heretofore when adhesive coated fabric has been used in themanufacture of these innersoles it has been common to Wet or moisten thefabric itself and to heat the coating; the moistening of the fabricbeing primaril -for the'purpose of rendering-the fabric "'p iable oriiexible so that it would more'readily conform to any irregularity ofthe surface to which it was applied, such for example as the projecting, rib of an inner-k sole, and the heating of the coating beingprimarily forthe urpose of rendering it Y tacky or sticky. hismoistening ofthe fabric has been secured usually 'by passing the entirecoated fabric through a bath of hot :Water or live steam, While theheating of the coating has generally been performed by the subsequentapplication of dry heat.

One of the objects of this invention is to eliminate this application ofWater or steam to the coated fabric for the purpose of moistening thefabric portion, because such moistening is often injurious not only 'tothe fabric itself but also to the article to which it is applied. in themanufacture of innersoles the moistening often produces mildew spots`upon the innersole, which is objectionable; again, it is oftendiilicult properly to dry the innersoles so that as a result the fabricis rotted or injured by the moisture; again, when the innersoles ,areproperly dried so much time and space is required as to be veryobjectionable; again, the vapplication of moisture to the fabricservesto remove the major or a substantial portion of ythe sizingusually contained in such fabrics and which gives body to the fabric. Byeliminating the application of moisture to the fabric f therefore doaway with all danger .from mildew spots, all danger 'of the rottin ofthe fabric, enable the process of manu acture to be carried on rapidly,the innersoles to be used immediately after their completion, andfurther, li am enabled to use a less heavy and consequently lessexpensive fabric and still secure the necessaryv degreel of stidness orbody. Furthermore the leather portion of the innersole, due to previousprocesses of manufacture, is frequently quite Wet or moist When theadhesive fabric is applied thereto. in such cases the adhesive fabricwill stick much4 more securely to the leather if the fabric becomparatively dry. Again when the fabric is thoroughly moistened itbecomes limp and when it is applied to the face of the innersole itflops down on to the feather i edge and sticks thereto before it isfitted over the rib causing much trouble.` The fabricwhen treated bythis invention rests across the top of the ribs and does not contactwith the feather until itis tted into place,nor does it stick so firmlyto the rib as to pull it down out of position while bein fitted inplace. The elimination ofthe app 'cation of Water or' steam is also ofgreat advantage to the operator. `Steam 'when used escapes often inlarge volumes from tbe machine and constitutes a continualnuisance-While the Water rie often leaks or is thrown from vthe fabricon to the floor and around themachine.

One feature of theinvention resides ina means lfor creasing the coatedfabric longi-l tudinally. This vis particularly of use in connectionwith the manufacture of inner'- soles. In manufacturing such innersolesas the Gem above referred to the coated vfabric is brought by hand intogeneral conformation with the surface, lip, and feathery of theinnersole, and is then by suitable mechanical devices pressed closelyinto con'- formation, and in carrying out this operation the mechanicalmeans acts beginning at one side of the innersole and finishing at theopposite side.A This results-in producing a strain u on the fabricbetween the two ribs, and ogen causes the fabric to pull away from oneor the other rib. I provide means for forming one or more longitudinalcreases in the coatedl fabric so that when it is brought rou hly intoconformation with the innersole there will' remain', owing to thecreases, a slight slackness in the fabric which will be takenup when themechanical devices v'cause the coated fabric to conform closely to theribs or lips of the innersole, and thus prevent strain on. the fabricand secure a close fit. This featuretof the in\ vention ishowever notlimited to use in a machine where the fabric is not mostened because thecreasing mechanism effects the same novel and valuable function only 'toa less extent when the fab ic is moist. f

in 'f means for mechanically softeningv the fabric which acts to breakupthe sizing in the fabric and to stretchlthe fabric and loosen up theweave thus rendering the fabric more pliable or flexible. In theparticular form of the inventionillustrated herein this means includesthe creasing mechanism already referred to and an additional crushingroll studded with spikes. Good work can in many cases be done, however,without theuse of any means for mechanically softening the fabric andthe inventlon 1s not restricted to the use of such a means.

Hitherto it has been customaryv to make up the coated fabric into longnarrow strips approximately thewidth of the widest innersole to bereinforced,` and hence therev has been lconsiderable waste in thereinforcing of innersoles of less than the maximum width. f

One feature of my invention is for. the purpose of eliminating asubstantial rtion of this .waste by providing 8. mac ine in which, aplurality of strips of diierent form shown .a machine adapted for .usingtwo strips of different widths, so that the narrower innersoles maybemade from a widths may be used; for example, in the.

ther means for throwing the strip not used out of proximity to the heatapplying means so that' the coating would not verse cross-section takenon the line w-w,

in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the mechanism at the leading-inend of the apparatus. Fig. v5 is a front elevation of the mechanismshown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a viewv in cross-section taken on the liney-Jy in Fig. 5.

he form of apparatus illustrated as the preferred embodiment of theinvention is arranged to treat twosimilar strips of coated fabric ofdifferent widths.

' A represents the base of the apparatus, preferably formed of wood,andadapted to rest upon a table or to be supported in any suitable way atabout the level of an ordinary table or` bench. On the base A iseinmounted-the heaty applying means and the t means for' creasing andmechanically soften` Another feature of th inventionrresides ingfthefabric. The heatfyapplying means castiron steamechest B,.whichoccupies and extends over the .larger part of the base. The coated.fabrictravels over the upper flat 'surfacer of this steam-chest, and.the strips of' fabric are separated by a rib C which may be formed orcast integral with the steam-chest. Steam underf pressure sufiicient toproduce the desired temperature is admitted to, and exhaustedv from, thesaid steammhest by means of suitable pipes, as l) and E. v

The steam-chest D is inclosed by a wooden casing, the side walls ofwhich are indicated at F andG, the end walls of which above thesteam-chestare o en or slotted to allow the passage of the fa rictherethrough, and the to of which is formed by two covers or doors andlF, respectively, and fitting against a coverstrip .-K on top of the ribC. 4,There yis thus inclosed at each side of the ribl C a spacev yforeach strip of the fabric, and this spacebeing comparatively shallowserves to confine' the heat and increase the rapidity of the softening oeration upon the coating.

and J, hinged to the side wallsA Gr` injury or deterioration when onestrip is not being used, I, provide a means for lifting the strip offabric off from the steam-chest. These means are the same for each stripcompartment or chamber and hence but one need be described. At suitableintervals the top of the steam-chest is grooved, as indicated at L, andthe rib is cut away to form a guideway. A post M is mounted in `eachguideway and has projecting at its base an arm N, resting in the grooveL with its top vsurface liush with the top surface of the steam-chest.The posts M are connected to-s gether above the casing by a bar 0, nearthe center of which a handle P is provided. A pin' Q in one or more ofthe posts limits the upward movement of the post, and a turn button R isprovided which, when the bar O is elevated by means ofthe handle P maybe turned beneath the bar O to hold it and the connected posts and armsL in raised position. When, therefore, it is desired to elevate thestrip of coated fabric from proximity to the heat applying means thehandle P is grasped and raised and the arms L lift the fabric off fromthe steam-chest. The turn button R is then turned beneath the bar O tomaintain the fabric thus elevated. This renders unnecessary the openingof the cover H, and thus retains the heat in the chamber, but if it isfound necessary the door H could be opened more or less further tocoolthe chamber.

The mechanism for creasing and mechanically softening the fabric isplaced at the leading-in end ofthe apparatus, or at the right-hand end,as shown in the drawings, and in the form illustrated comprises a pairof creasing rolls and a single crushing roll, These rolls are duplicatedfor each strip, and hence it is necessary to describe but one set.

S indicates.7 side frames bolted, as indin cated .at T, to the base A.In these side frames the rolls are journaled. The lower creasing roll Uis shown as Xed in position and provided with annular creasing groovesV. The upper creasing roll W is provided with cooperatingannularcreasing ribs Z, and is mounted in bearing blocks A2, which slidevertically in ways formed in the side frames S. Screws B2 and springs C2serve to hold the upper creasing roll W adjustably and yieldingly incontact with the lower creasing roll U. Preferably the creasing ribs Zare of different diameters and, as shown, the middle one is of largerdiameter than those at each side, and the creasing grooves arecorrespondingly formed, thus .the central, longitudinal crease is moremarked than those at the sides. The roll D2 is mounted in split bearingsin the side frames S, and set-screws E2 are provided by means of whichthe split bearing may be tightened up to produce more or less frictionon the roll D2. This crushing roll is provided with a roughenedperiphery formed by a plurality of spikes proJecting radially from theperiphery thereof.

The actionof the crushingl and grooving rolls will be apparent Thefabric is led over the crushing roll D2 and between the creasing rolls Uand W, and then into the heating chamber above the steam-chest. Thefabric is pulled through the machine by hand. As the fabric is pulledover the crushing roll the friction on the crushing roll causes thespikes F2 to enter the fabric and break up the sizing contained thereinand also to stretch the fabric so as to further break up the sizing andseparate the threads of the fabric so as to soften it mechanically andrender it sufficiently pliable or flexible. This condition is furtherbrought about by the action of the creasing rolls, which preferably havea plurality, such as three, of qooperating annular ribs and grooveswhich act to form longitudinal creases in the fabric and consequently tobreak up the sizing and mechanically soften the fabric. I have found theconstruction illustrated sufficiently softens the fabric for the purposeof making innersoles, but it is obvious that the mechanical devicescould be elaborated to increase the mechanical. softening of the fabricif necessary.

The longitudinal creases formed by the creasing rolls give acomparatively permanent set to the fabric so that the fabric retains itscreases until the mechanical devices used in conforming the fabric tothe ribbed surface of the innersole remove them. The fabric is laid uponthe rib face of the innersole and pressed into conformation therewith ina general and preliminary way, this being usually done by hand. Thefabric is then pounded or pressed by machine into close conformationwith the rib beginning at one edge of the innersole. As the operationproceeds and the other edge is reached the cloth is not pulled away fromthe first edge nor does it bend the rib because the crease or creasesare simply flattened out. Thus a close iit of the fabric to everyportion of the rib face of, the innersole is secured without detrimentalstrain.

The reel of fabric, one only of which is illustrated at A, is soarranged and the man chine is so constructed that the fabric willmaintain a central position laterally of the machine as it is drawntherein. This is secured by extending the base forward as iny itssupports. F or this purpose coil springs A13 of the same strength areplaced on the reel spindle between each end of the reel and the supportsA, v

The operation of the apparatus will' be apparent. When the fabric ispulled through the apparatus the fabric portion is mechanically softenedby. the spiked crushing roll and the creasing rolls, longitudinalcreases are formed therein, and then in passing over i it heats Ithecoating from the back toward the surface, thus softening the coatingoutwardly toward the' surface and 'giving it its maximum tacky or stickyquality immediately nent to the fabric, and maintaining the surface in atempered condition or condition in which it can be more readily handled.Consequently,lwhen the fabric with its coating thus conditioned ispressed into contact with the objects to which it is to be applied itwill adhere readily and permanently thereto. v

In using the-apparatus illustrated a strip of fabric of a given widthsuitable for wide innersoles, say 4g inches in width, will be used inone chamber, and another strip, say 3% inches in width, for innersolesyof less width will be provided for the other chamber, and the operatorwill drawone or the other strip fromthe Amachine according to lthe widthof the innersole which he is making. In case of any considerable run ofone or the other strip so that one strip is required to remain idle theoperator will lift the handle P and swing the turn button beneath thebar O,y thus elevatingpthat strip from the surface of the steam chamber.

Having described my invention, what I claim as newY and desire to secureby Letters Patent,is: y

1. In a machine for treating coated fabric, means for-'mechanicallysoftening the fabric,

and means for applying heat to the uncoated side of the fabric.

2. In a machine for treating adhesive yname to this specification,

coated fabric, means for` mechanically softening the fabric including acreasing mechanism, and means for applying heatto the uncoated side ofthe fabric.

4. In a machine for treating adhesive` coated fabric, means formechanically softening the fabric, and means for softening and renderingtacky the lcoating without the application of moisture.

5. In a 'machine for treating adhesive i coated fabric," means formechanically sof-l tening the fabric, a steam-'chest inclosed to form achamber throughl which the fabric may be passed with the uncoated sideinconta'ct with the steam-chest, whereby the fabric will be renderedpliable without the application of moisture and the coating will berendered tacky by the heat. 4

6. In a machine for treating adhesive coated fabric, means formechanically softening the fabric comprising a 'crushing roll providedwith a roughened face anda pair 'of rolls provided respectively withannular ribs and coperating annular grooves acting to form longitudinalcreases in the fabric.

7. In a machine for treating adhesive coated fabric, means for.forminga. longitudinal crease in the fabric, and means for applying heat to theuncoated' side Aof the fabric to soften and render tacky the coating. i

8. In a machine for treating adhesive coated fabric, means for forming alongitudinal crease in the fabric, and means, for softeningand renderingtacky the coating.

' In testimony whereof, I have signed my' in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

*J AMES MEADE.

Witnesses:

W. H. Srnnisrnn,y RALPH S. BLAKE.

